BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Jimmy Carter, leader of the Blind Boys of Alabama, knows how to embrace listeners with his voice. It’s a fervent instrument, gruff and gritty from years of cigarette smoking, yet infused with warm emotions and religious conviction.

Carter, 82, is a gospel singer from the old-school tradition, ready to make a joyful noise and send praise on high. That’s been his goal for decades, ever since his student days in Talladega, at the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind.

There, he joined a youth choir and sneaked off campus to sing with some older boys and like-minded friends: Clarence Fountain, George Scott and Johnny Fields. They formed a music troupe in the 1940s, kept the faith, found their way on the gospel circuit and brought Carter into the fold. Now, he’s the longest-performing member of the Blind Boys and the group’s charismatic figurehead.

“I’m the spokesman, and I love that,” Carter says. “I love to talk. I have a way with the crowd. I love to have the crowd in my hand. ... You can’t see them, but you can feel them. It’s that old saying, ‘What comes from the heart, reaches the heart.’”

The Birmingham native has toured the world with the Blind Boys, recorded a long list of albums and collected several Grammys. He’s been a witness to history -- the harmonizing troupe’s fortunes have waxed and waned -- and he’s been present for the Blind Boys’ resurgence in the 21st century.

During a phone interview, Carter talked about the Blind Boys, their new music and their enduring mission. (Their latest record, “I’ll Find a Way,” is set for release Oct. 1 on Sony Masterworks.) Carter also expressed his feelings about an unexpected collaborator: Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.

Q:The title of your new record seems right in keeping with the Blind Boys’ catalog. What does “I’ll Find a Way” mean to you?

A: “I’ll Find a Way” means, to me, no matter what the situation is, there is a way. And that way comes from God.

A: I know music can get in the heart. I know it can do that. I’ve seen it melt people. Perhaps it can change people. We’ve come a long way from the Bull Connor days, but we still have a long way to go. Music is universal. I know that. You can be an atheist or an agnostic, and you can still love pretty music.

Q: For this new record, you worked with Justin Vernon. What did he bring to the table as a producer?

A: Justin Vernon brought some ideas that we had forgotten about. Some old traditional songs, he brought back to the table, to refresh our memory like that. A song like “I Shall Not Be Moved,” an old traditional gospel song. We had not sung that in years. It was unique thing that happened. Our general manager came to us and said, “Justin Vernon wants to do a project with you all.” I was embarrassed, because I had never heard of him. He sent us some songs to look over, and we went to his house in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It was cold, but warm in his house and warm in his heart.

"I'll Find a Way" opens with "God Put a Rainbow in the Cloud" and ends with "Jubilee." The 11 tracks also include "Take Me to the Water," "I Am Not Waiting Anymore" and "Take Your Burden to the Lord and Leave it There."

A: We have tried, for many years, to get more young people familiar and involved in our music. That’s why we don’t mind getting involved with all these secular artists. We are a gospel group. That’s all we do. That’s all we’re gonna do. But since we collaborate with younger artists, we find that a lot of younger people are attending our concerts. I think this record here, that Justin has put together, will bring even more young people into the fold.

Q:When you’re recording, do you have a get-to-know-you session with the other artists, to make sure they’re in the right mindset?

A: Ninety percent of the time, we listen to a track and get our ideas for a song. A lot of times, we don’t even meet the person. With some of these secular songs, we have to change some of the lyrics to make them more gospel. You’d be surprised what changing some of the words can do.

Q:Clarence Fountain, the former leader of the Blind Boys, contributed some vocals for your new record. But it’s been several years since he’s been on stage with the band. Tell us about that.

A: Clarence lives in Baton Rouge, so he came to Birmingham and recorded some stuff for the record. It was nice to see him. He doesn’t come on tour with us anymore, because of his health, but he can record with us. Once a Blind Boy of Alabama, always a Blind Boy of Alabama.

Q:You performed a duet with Justin Vernon on Bob Dylan’s “Every Grain of Sand.” How did you feel about that song, and the arrangement?

A: When Justin suggested that we do a duet on it, I was kind of unnerved for a minute, because I’d never done that before. But the first time I heard it, well, I liked it. I didn’t know I was that good.

In his debut with the Blind Boys of Alabama, Paul Beasley, second from left, handles the lead vocals on "Take Me to the Water." Jimmy Carter, third from left, says he encouraged Beasley to step out from the group and use his falsetto in a dominant way. "Paul is a really humble guy," Carter says. "On this record, he wanted to do what we wanted to do." (Cameron Witting photo)

Q:The Blind Boys have a falsetto singer in the mix for “I’ll Find a Way.” Is Paul Beasley a new member of the band?

A: Paul Beasley sang with another group from Tyler, Texas, called the Gospel Keynotes. Paul is now using his vision for us, and he’s a great asset. Nothing is set in stone yet, but he’s a great asset and we’ll see what we can do. We never really had a falsetto singer before, and that’s what he uses, mostly. He takes us to another dimension. Paul is a really humble guy. On this record, he wanted to do what we wanted to do.

Q:You’ve been the leader of the Blind Boys for about five years now, ever since Clarence Fountain was sidelined with diabetes. What does it take to be a good leader for the group?

A: I’m not so sure I am a good leader, but I’m doing the best I can, ever since Clarence passed me the torch. I believe in diplomacy. I’m not a dictator. I’m a diplomat. I try to reason with everybody. It’s a democracy. It’s a team. And as long as I’m considered the leader, I’ll do it that way.

Q: Can you still hold that one particular note in “Amazing Grace,” stretching it out for more than a minute? And how are you feeling on the road these days, at age 82?

A: It’s not quite as long as it used to be, but it’s long enough. If my adrenaline is flowing, sometimes I can hold it longer. ... I feel OK. I must say that I’m not as good as I used to be, but I’m holding up.

Q: The Blind Boys of Alabama have a reputation for being steadfast and true, despite personnel changes and the passage of time. What’s the basic message in the music, the key idea you always want to convey?

A: Our message is God. We want to tell people about God. We sing for him. We’re working for him. Our message is that God is here for you. If you’re without hope, he can give you hope. If you go to one of our concerts, and you go back the same way you came in, we’ve failed you. We’re here to touch people’s lives and make them happy.